ORGANIZATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: How to Know the System in Order to Advance Within

1. ORGANIZATIONAL INTELLIGENCE:How to Know the System in Order to Advance Within A Presentation for the NAFSA REGION X Upstate Update Meeting Utica, New York June 15, 2006

2. Preparing for a Career in International Education • Gain academic credentials/graduate school (academic creditibility) • Internships/assistantships • Non-profit community or NGO work • Peace Corps/Fulbright experience

3. Travel and study abroad • Informational interviews • Visit campus sites/attend programs • Read newsletters/websites/articles/journals • Attend conferences

4. Learning the Ropes Within your institution: • Human Resources staff development • Administrative manual/policy publications • Find a mentor • Develop networks on campus/in community

5. Get involved/committees/discussion groups • Seek nominations to important groups, such as University Senate • Know which committees have most clout

6. Serve on Search Committees • Understand the “big picture”: learn from NAFSA and other professional organizations/ understand the major issues • In light of pressures from departments, administration, budget restrictions, keep the “big picture” in mind: Why are we involved in international educational exchange?

7. Become Known Within Your Institution • Let people know your ambitions, skills, willingness to work • Be present at important functions/lectures • Distribute business cards/notes/emails with information of interest to others

8. Write articles for campus newspapers • Invite important people from both within and outside the college to your programs or as guest lecturers to orientation, IEW, other interesting occasions • Issue press releases when you have VIP guests • Develop collaborative relationships with related or dependent departments on campus; know what they want and need

9. Understand who has “the magic wand” to make things happen • Make your recommendations clear in writing • Understand bureaucracy; be a good bureaucrat

10. Become Known in Your Field • NAFSA: Association of International Educators • NASPA • TESOL/AAIEP/UCIEP/SECUSSA/OSEAS

11. Make presentations at conferences • Attend professional development seminars in your field and/or in the field of management • Publish • Consult (preferably for money/assign a value to your services) • Participate in a Fulbright exchange

12. Become a member of the board of your local non-profit international organization (i.e. International Center of Syracuse; Rochester International Council) • Get involved on E-Boards, NAFSA or other professional organization teams, leadership and management positions • Become involved with the ethnic groups in your community

13. Provide “Added Value” to Your Institution • Take classes on campus in Executive Leadership program/Management School • Design academic projects around developing better coordinating mechanisms for the diverse “global” programs/resources around your campus

14. Know your facts/data; benchmarking is important • Network with your colleagues on campus • Keep your colleagues and upper administration informed, either formally or informally

15. Make New Contributions • A good performance review isn’t enough • Think outside the box; develop new ideas • Gain recognition for your ideas • If idea is more important than recognition, commit to success without ego • Travel – abroad if possible

16. Let others know of your expertise • Become involved in recruitment and marketing of your programs • Be willing to take on responsibilities beyond the strict scope of your job (i.e. task force on preparation for pandemic of Asian flu) • When acknowledged by others, let your administration know about your successes

17. Develop and promote internship opportunities in your office • Become a mentor • Become efficient; multi-task; don’t “clock” your professional life by the hours but rather by your accomplishments • Are you adding to the burden or are you alleviating the burden?

18. As a Leader • Use your connections: alumni, parents, professional and government organizations to enhance your stature within your institution • Accept regional/national/international positions and utilize that prestige and recognition on campus • Research appropriate titles for your work;

19. Promote change from within • Be open to politically advantageous opportunities (“Work the System”) • Have a good sense of humor • Cynicism is ok, but keep it under control • Be careful – political situations are very fluid

20. Be open to and try to promote and create cross-campus and cross-disciplinary ventures (i.e. teach in a related area; supervise learning communities; participate in career development for U.S. nationals interested in international careers) • Become well-known to the highest levels of administration; keep the lines of communication always active!

21. Responsibilities of Leadership • Be knowledgeable; be confident • Stay current in your field • Mentor others • Volunteer your time on campus, in community, within professional association

22. Raise the standards for your work • Get your staff involved and committed • Seek recognition and use it to inspire others • Be willing to work as hard if not harder than your staff; model expectations for them

23. Practice inclusiveness in decision-making • Engage in contemporary approaches and keep abreast of advances in leadership and management styles and techniques • Enjoy your work and maintain the enthusiasm which brought you into international educational exchange!

24. Presented by: Patricia A. Burak, Director Lillian and Emanuel Slutzker Center for International Services, Syracuse University and International student adviser for SUNY ESF Jeff Cox, Director International Student and Scholar Services, Rochester Institute of Technology Geraldine de Berly, Associate Dean Syracuse University Continuing Education/Director, English Language Institute Brendan O’Brien, Director International Student and Scholar Office, Cornell University